ACE Safety & Security 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of a Security Threat Assessment (STA) conducted by TSA for airport workers?
- To evaluate an employee's job performance and safety record
- To verify identity and check criminal history before granting unescorted access (Correct answer)
- To assess an airport's overall vulnerability to terrorist attacks
- To certify that security equipment meets federal standards
Correct answer: To verify identity and check criminal history before granting unescorted access
TSA's STA process verifies an individual's identity and checks for disqualifying criminal history or immigration status before unescorted access is granted.
Question 2: Which of the following aircraft safety hazards is specifically associated with operations near jet blast areas?
- Carbon monoxide poisoning from fuel vapors
- Physical injury or death from high-velocity exhaust thrust (Correct answer)
- Electromagnetic interference with navigation equipment
- Hydraulic fluid contamination of the tarmac surface
Correct answer: Physical injury or death from high-velocity exhaust thrust
Jet blast produces extremely powerful directional exhaust that can knock down people and vehicles, causing serious injury or death.
Question 3: During a bomb threat received by phone at an airport, what information is MOST critical for staff to gather from the caller?
- The caller's name and home address
- The location, time, type of device, and reason for the threat (Correct answer)
- The airline the caller intends to board
- The number of co-conspirators involved in the threat
Correct answer: The location, time, type of device, and reason for the threat
Gathering specific details about the device's location, intended detonation time, type, and motive helps law enforcement assess and respond to the threat.
Question 4: What is 'piggybacking' or 'tailgating' in the context of airport security?
- A method of loading oversized baggage onto aircraft
- An unauthorized person following an authorized person through a secure access point (Correct answer)
- A technique for monitoring multiple CCTV feeds simultaneously
- A procedure for transferring checked baggage between connecting flights
Correct answer: An unauthorized person following an authorized person through a secure access point
Tailgating occurs when an unauthorized individual gains access to a secure area by closely following an authorized person through a controlled access point.
Question 5: According to OSHA regulations applicable to airport ramp operations, what is required before fueling an aircraft?
- A fire extinguisher rated at least 20-B:C must be within 50 feet of the fueling operation (Correct answer)
- The aircraft's APU must be shut down completely before fueling begins
- All passengers must deplane before the fuel truck approaches the aircraft
- The fueling crew must wear full flame-resistant PPE at all times
Correct answer: A fire extinguisher rated at least 20-B:C must be within 50 feet of the fueling operation
OSHA and NFPA standards require an appropriate-rated dry chemical fire extinguisher within 50 feet of any aircraft fueling operation.
Question 6: What does a red 'X' painted on a taxiway or runway surface indicate to airport workers on the AOA?
- A designated emergency vehicle staging area
- A closed surface that must not be used for aircraft or vehicle operations (Correct answer)
- The location of underground fuel storage tanks
- A required stop point for ground support vehicles
Correct answer: A closed surface that must not be used for aircraft or vehicle operations
A red 'X' marking on a runway or taxiway indicates it is closed and no aircraft or authorized vehicles should use that surface.
Question 7: Which of the following is a prohibited item in the sterile area of an airport under TSA regulations?
- A laptop computer with a lithium-ion battery
- A snow globe containing more than 3.4 ounces of liquid (Correct answer)
- A child's toy with AA batteries
- A hardcover book over 350 pages
Correct answer: A snow globe containing more than 3.4 ounces of liquid
Snow globes fall under the TSA liquids rule and are prohibited in the sterile area if they contain more than 3.4 ounces of liquid.
ACE Safety & Security 3
What is the purpose of a Security Threat Assessment (STA) conducted by TSA for airport workers?